Composition sole and method of making same



l Oct. 9,` 1945.

J. E. L. RYAN COMPOSIT ION SOLE AND MTHOD 0F MAKING SAME Filed May 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l @Qssn'sk sns . 1. E. l.. RYAN N COMPOSITION SOLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May' 18, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 s. as s .is K

' JQHN JV N\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\A Patented Oct. 9, 1945 i @met COMPOSITION SOLE vAND METHOD OF MAKING SAME` John E. L. Ryan, Danbury, Conn. K Application May 18, 1944, Serial No.r536,171

13 Claims. vThis inventionvrelates to `composition soles for shoes, sandals, slippers and the like as well as to the method of manufacture of such composition tread members.

More particularly the tread member, in accordance with my present invention, is constructed of heavy cord strands or rope wound about a core member of a flexible plastic material or rubber (either natural or synthetic) y and wherein the rope is secured by the material of the core thereto, or even em-bedded therein, during the finishing steps of the process ofl making, thereby producing a commercial product.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide in such a manner, an improved rope shoe sole of good Wearing quality, water prooi, nexible, having a non-skid tread surface, light as compared with its thickness, of improved design, and easily adapted to many kinds of foot-wear.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a composition sole which is longitudinally flexible.

Another object of the invention is to form the heel and toe portions of such a composition sole so that they are more rigid or less ilexible longitudinally as well as laterally as compared with the intermediate portion therebetween.

Another object of the invention is to constructv such a composition shoe sole of an improved quality with a minimum amount of materials, particularly of rubber, and without Waste, and with a reduced amount of labor as compared with any previous methods of constructing rope soles or composition rope and rubber soles of which l am aware.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following specication wherein, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, are specically disclosed two highly satisfactory forms of rope soles in accordance with this invention, asillustrative thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one preferred form of composition rope and rubber shoe sole in the process of construction;

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; l

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the finished sole following a vulcanizing process on the sole shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale illustrating the rearrangement of the wound rope strands incident to the vulcanization;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of modied form of the composition rope and rubber shoe sole in the process of construction; Y

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the finished sole following the vulcanization process; and

Fig. '7 is a detailed longitudinal sectional View of Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale. I

In general, heretofore numerous attempts have been made .to construct composition rope and rubber shoe soles but, in accordance with various processes employed, an excessive amount of labor had been required and also materials, and there',- fore have not been entirely practical from a manufacturing standpoint. By way of example, such constructions, havebeen made employing a fabricated mesh, and by ,cutting and stamping operations for obtaining finished soles, which 'necessitatedv a high percentage ofwaste.

Such objections are mainly overcome in a c omposition sole construction in accordance with the present invention, in that, as disclosed in the drawings, the rope sole is constructed entirely by a winding process of the rope, I0 or Illa, both forms illustrated, about a core, H orlla, of uncured rubber formed somewhat smaller than the size ofthe nishe'l composition sole resulting from the process.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that rope I0 is preferably of three cord strands, although a greater or less number of strands may be employed if desired, the rope being ofany desired cross-section, such as round, square or rectangular section may be employed. If a rope of rectangular section is employed, the largest side of the section will be applied against the core I I. It is desirable that the rope should be water` proofed with a suitable solution, now on the market (as G. R. S. Cement as one example) to avoid moisture from seeping through to the upper part ofthe sole, as by capillarity. Ii the rope is not already waterproofed it may -be at anytime, be` fore winding, or the finished sole can be dipped in waterproofing solution, after the core is cured or vulcanized. V

Core Il for the sole is preferably a flat sheet of uncured rubbercut tothe shape of a sole, but a little smaller, so that when the rope is wound around it, the sole will be the required size. This core may be about one-quarter thickness of Vthe. sole for good results and is strong enough to give support to the rope when wound therearound and its surfaces are sticky so that-the rope impinging thereagainst is held in place. While material as natural, reclaimed' or synthetic rubber sheet ma- 'aerial has been found 'to bestmeet these'quaiia.

cations for the core and, therefore, is preferably ing process, as performed in a, winding machine,

a removable stilener sheet (not shown) is placed over the rubber body and .following rWinding process such stirfening element is removed.

The wound form is then placed in a vulcanizing molding press and during vulcanization the rubber impregnates for a distance the rope fibers and substantially fills the interstices so that, after vulcanization, in the finished sole the rubber =has flowed and .extends .substantially ,to and about the edges of the mold, covering the .rope .at .said edges, but preferably, with .surfaces of thejndividual rope strands projecting. slightly beyond .the rubber at opposite faces of ethesole, as-.generally shown in the finished sole ,presented .in Fig. 3, .to .provide an anti-.skid.siuiface` '.liigure 4 .further illustrates the manner in Vwhich vthe rcpelstrands are rearranged .during .the yulcanzing process .at which .time the Aow .of ,the uncured rubber Lis such as .to Isubstantia'l-ly cover .or vembed fthe stretchesof the .rope on'the upper Sand lower sur- 'faces ofthe core.

ln :the .finished form of :the composition .sole shownin figs. 3 and 4, i-t .will bemanifest @that the portion intermediate Ythe heel .and .toe is .relatively hexiblelong'itudmally .of :thesoleiand more rigid laterally .thereof .because ofthe doubler-ope re-.inforceinent `given Vby the Lupper -and .lo-wer stretchesX and VY .of theJope. ,Thenow of `rub- .ber .to the toerand ,the heel .portionsis suchlas Ato increase the rigidity `these endsko'f the ssole.

According to the modified A,form `-shoe sole i-llus trated in .Figs5 to l7, 4the =rope tlila is woundlinia similar manner, .asabove describedgonfa core Mza composed of plies or layers `I4 and .45, of .-a eheat .plastic material or :rubber (preferably -uncured rubber) with .an intermediate ,stiiener layer -of suitable material, preferably a singlefplyof cardboard, nbre-.board or 'the .li-ke, 16 as illustrated in Figs. V.5 :and This intermediate ,stiifener layer .I 6 notonlyacts as a stiffening-element dur ing (the winding ,processbut `also.funct-ionsfto retain the rope comloll-itiens orrstretches separated following the yulcanization 5processes .ibefseen in Fig. f1.

While the vulcanizationstep rof `fthe process :is identical with that for rthe `sole;illustra-ted :in lilig. 3, that is, .in placing the jwound core in 1.the Wulcanizing molds, the process .may :be -carried fout employing .less rubber. Accordingly, as illustrated in Figs; 5 -and 17, the ,now fof iubberfmay only partly fill the interstices between the rope.strands or .stretches :to a depth of -lone-.half to :threefourths of the thickness of :the rope., dtuner/ieri .'less, according to -the thickness or amount of rubber in flayers 1`M tand i5. Therefore, the :surface fof nished solai-nnernnd routersurfacesgarteaentirely Irope surfaces as disclosed inthe intermediate portion H, .between the .heel -a-nd toe rends, `:I8 and `|.9,..respectively.

11n order that :the wear'surfaces'of the heel y,und toe .portions of .the rope. sole .may ibe .fully protected, a .thin sheet `or .layer .of .the 'uncured mibher .1.8 :and l5 may Lbe plaoed .onwhat :Wil-1 ibf* the bottom surface of the rope stretches at said heel and toe end portions of the sole, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, prior to placing the sole in the vulcanizing mold. Likewise, to protect the edge portion 20 of the sole, a thin strip may be applied entirely around the perimeter of the sole, and, after vulcanization, lls the interstices thereof.

The finished sole, in accordance with Figs. 5 to "l, may be a Elittle thicker :than the form of sole illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 since, in 'the former form, the upper and lower stretches X and Y of the rope convolutions are compressed to engage :the `J'tntermediate cardboard or plastic layer, whereas, in the latter form the upper and lower rope stretches of the rope convolutions are compressedso as to over-lap alternately between one lanother.. .mbothrforms the total thickness of the soles is slightly thicker than the molds in which t'they are-compressed and cured. When the soles /arepl-acedin-their molds, .the rubber or other vheat A.plastic composition of `the core softens, under heat and pressure, thus nowing to substantially ll the lateral interstices between thelstretches of .therope-i e., as. in Figs. 1 .and deflowingto .the surface of .the sole .and embedding the ,-rope strands therein excepting, preferably, `forafslight protrusion of the `rope Ithrough .the rubber, .or as `in Figs, '5 .to '7, flowing as .to .only ,partially embed .the rope (strands, .or conversely.

Having `thus described, and ,shown by way .of example, my improvementsin solesfor lfootwear and'havingset forth some `of the-objects andadvantages thereof, others being apparent from 'the description and drawings, vand ,having .set forth two .manners in which theseimprovements .or .inventions may be performed, it is to vbe .understood rthat VI do notlimit myself to the precise constructions or :methods .herein set-.forth ,as the 40 same .maybe varied ,in ways that [fall Withinlthe scope fof .the appended claims.

'What 'I claim is:

fl. The process of ,manufacturing .composition shoesole .which includes `Winding ,a `rope Vtransversely .around .a atfcore of runcurecl rubber, 'and under 4heat -and pressure :said prepared rope wound ,core .in -a 4vulcani/'zing mold having `a .cavity :of .a `.size Lof the .finished .-sole but which .will compress said prepared core under said pressure so as `to Ycause;tl1e-upper and lower stretches of .the ,rope .,convolutions -extending laterally .across the ,rubber .core .to fbe brought fin closer l,proximity ,and nembedded into the rubber, `tlfiereby ,producing ra homogeneous article. l

2. The .process A,of manufacturing ra .composition shoe .sole which includes wind-ing -a` rope transversely .arounda .-fla`t .core of a .width .smaller than the nished `sole .and having ,uncured .rubber surfaces, and vulcanizing .said rupe wound core'in.a`vulcariizing.mold of less 'thickness than that of assembled sole so as to cause therubber to lflow-under heat and Apressure to at least partia'lly lill the interstices between adjacent .lateral stretches of the rope convolutions and adhere .to the'adjacent surfaces of the'rope along the portions illed by the rubber 'when ina u'idstate.

3. The process of Amanufacturing a composition.

shoe 'sole which 4comprises winding a rope transversely around a hat core of uncured rubber, coyering 1a portionof -an Youter exposed surface of the ropeion -`'the Vcorewith 'a layer of rubber, and' vulcanizing said rope wound core with Asaid exterior layer of rubber in place ina mold goifless thickness 'than that of 'the assembled sole so as to cause the rubber to flow between the surfaces of the rope convolutions and adhere thereto, thereby maintaining them in place.

4. The process of manufacturing a composition shoe sole which consists in winding a rope transversely around a flat core of a size slightly smaller than the size of the nished sole and composed of layers of uncured rubber having a layer of semi-rigid stiffener material between the rubber layers, and Vulcanizing said prepared rope wound core in a vulcanizing mold having a cavity of a size to compress said prepared core to cause the rubber to ow at least partially lbetween said convolutions and to adhere thereto and to the surfaces of the intermediate layer thereby maintaining them in place and producing a homogeneous article.

5. A composition shoe sole comprising` a core about which a rope is wound transversely there of and embedded in the material of the core.

6. A composition shoe sole comprising a exible heat-plastic core about which a continuous length of rope is wound transversely thereof and embedded in the material of the core.

7. A composition shoe sole comprising a vulcanized rubber core having a rope wound laterally therearound and at least partially embedded in the rubber of the core.

8. A composition shoe sole comprising a core of flexible plastic material having a continuous strand of rope closely wound transversely thereof around the core with upper and lower stretches impinging and adhering to corresponding interstices of the core, and the plastic core material substantially lling the interstices between the rope stretches and substantially embedding the surface thereof.

9; A composition shoe sole comprising a vulcanized rubber core having rope closely wound laterally around the core to form upper and lower stretches with portions extending about the edges of the core, said wound rope impinging corresponding interstices of the core, and the core rubber substantially filling the interstices between the rope stretches and adhering thereto to provide a homogeneous unitary structure.

10. A composition shoe sole comprising a vulcanized rubber core having a rope closely wound laterally around the core to form upper and lower stretches with portions extending about the edges of the core, said wound rope impinging corresponding interstices of the core, and the core rubber substantially lling the interstices between the rope stretches and embedding the stretches and their edge portions therein, except that a portion of the stretches protrude beyond the rubber at the surface of the sole.

11. A composition shoe solle comprising an intermediate layer of stiffner core material, a single continuous length of rope Wound around said intermediate layer of stiffener material as a separator between upper and lower stretches of the wound rope, and rubber at least partially lling the interstices between the rope stretches and adhering thereto and to the intermediate layer, whereby the rope stretches are held together and to the intermediate layer.

l2. A composition shoe sole comprising an intermediate layer of stiffener core material, a single continuous length of rope wound around said intermediate layer of stiffener material as a separator between upper and lower stretches of the wound rope, rubber at least partially filling the interstices between the rope stretches and adhering thereto and to the intermediate layer, whereby the rope stretches are held together and to the intermediate layer, and a strip of rubber vulcanized to perimetal edge of the sole.

13. A composition shoe sole comprising an intermediate layer of stiffener core material, a single continuous length of rope wound around said intermediate layer of'stiiener material as a separator between the upper and lower stretches of the wound rope, rubber at least partially lling the interstces between the rope stretches adjacent said core and adhering thereto and to the intermediate layer, whereby the rope stretches are held together and to the intermediate layer, and layers of rubber on the exterior surfaces of the rope at the toe and heel wear ends of the sole completely embedding the rope at the ends and integrally combined with the other rubber to provide increased wear and rigidity at the ends of the sole.

JOHN E. L. RYAN. 

